Free apples

Fall seems to be wanting to start already in Finland, and that includes apples ripening and falling off their trees. On the walk to church today, we noticed boxes and baskets of apples sitting along the sidewalk in front of peoples' homes. I wondered if they were free for the taking, or if perhaps each and everyone of these homeowners was in the middle of transporting the baskets to or from their car or house and we had managed to walk by while they were simultaneously all out of sight. (When you are a foreigner, sometimes you have to consider the most unlikely scenario, just in case.)

On the way home, the baskets were still there, and we happened to see one of the homeowners sitting in her yard. We asked if the apples were free for the taking, and she said yes!

So today I learned that leaving baskets of apples on the sidewalk for passersby to take is a thing in Finland. Charming.